1. INTRODUCTION
- 1.1 about seqtools
- 1.2 seqtools help sources
- 1.3 about registration and licenses
- 1.4 user interaction (update policy)
- 1.5 support (bug reports)
1.1 about seqtools
SEQtools 8.3 is a win32 software package for handling and analysis of nucleotide and protein sequences. The program includes a series of trivial functions to help you carry out common operations. In addition SEQtools will assist you with more demanding tasks like unattended batch blast search at NCBI. SEQtools includes advanced facilities for retrieving, storing, handling and listing search results.
1.1.1 Special features
Special functions are included for design of microarray gene expression analysis experiments, for expression analyses with the SAGE procedure and for managing small EST projects. Utilities are included for primer design and ordering, renaming files, creating codon usage tables, building local searchable databases, aligning nucleotide and protein sequences, comparing sequences and a lot more. Recently an option to export sequence data to a ms excel spreadsheet has been included.
1.1.2 User interaction
SEQtools is a very responsive software package. User comments and suggestions are highly appreciated and play a key role in keeping the program bug-free and up to date. You can use SEQtools free of charge for as long as you wish if you keep your registration alive by confirming the registration every 60 days.
1.2 seqtools help sources
SEQtools does not come with a printed manual. As the whole SEQtools organisation consists of a single person it is simply not possibly to maintain the code, the context sensitive help and the web help. Although I try to keep the context sensitive help which is build into the program up-to date, the updating usually lags several revisions behind. Pressing F1 brings up context sensitive help information relating to the currently active program item.
The SEQtools homepage includes a fairly comprehensive manual which is currently being revised to cover the latest changes to the program. I will attempt to maintain this source of help information up-to date with relevant illustrations covering the different topics.
1.3 registration and licenses
You can access the SEQtools registration form either from the program as shown
below or by visiting www.seqtools.dk
Providing SEQtools to users free of charge has the dual advantage that users all over the world get free access to a fairly comprehensive software package for sequence handling and analysis. In return I get information about bugs and receive useful user input in the form of suggestions and comments from a large number of users.
The difficult economic situation of many students and scientist in third world countries is an additional argument for making the use of SEQtools free of charge. The only condition for the free access to SEQtools is that users are requested to register after a testing period of 60 days and there after to keep their registration alive by renewing their license every 60 days.
Old users of SEQtools already know that SEQtools is updated very frequently.
Unlike most other authors of software packages I prefer to correct bugs right away and upload
the corrected version. This used to create the problem that users often complained about bugs
that were already corrected but not yet downloaded on their pc.
Recently I have included
an "update-tester" in SEQtools. Every time you start SEQtools it visits the download
page to see if new updates are available - and notifies you if there are. You may experience
that your license no longer works after upgrading to a newer version of SEQtools. In this case
you just have to renew your license to cover the upgraded version.
The user name and the registration key is entered in the form shown below. Note that this information must be entered exactly as in the license agreement. The user name is case and "space" sensitive. Entering incorrect information will terminate SEQtools immediately. You can extended your license atwww.seqtools.dkor by sending anemail to me.
1.4 user interaction
Seqtools has evolved in close association with its users. Numerous users have contributed significantly to the program by suggesting new functions to be included in the suite and - not least - by testing functions and reporting the result to the author.
As SEQtools is maintained by a small organisation there is a very short distance between coding a program revision and the publication of the update. This has the advantage that bug fixes are made available to the users very rapidly, usually the same day the bug is reported.
The disadvantage of the frequent revisions is that you need to update the program often. Each time SEQtools is opened it will contact the download page on the web to check if an update is available. If a revision is available you are informed as SEQtools loads.
It is strongly recommended that you update your SEQtools installation when a new update is available. As the auto-update process does not require reinstallation of SEQtools I believe that this is a minor inconvenience to ensure that you always work with a version of SEQtools without known bugs or other problems.
1.5 support - bug reports
You can find the latest additions and corrections to SEQtools on therevision historysection of the homepage. As the last resort write aemailto me describing the problem (please include as many details as possible) and I will do my best to assist you.
It is also possible to submit a bug report directly from SEQtools. Look under the help menu to load the bug report form.
© 2002-2010S.W. Rasmussen (revised: )